The Pursuit of a Perfect World
by That One Eccedentesiast
Summary: Naruto musing on Jiraiya's death, thinking: "I'll miss him forever, and no one can replace him. Time can never heal all wounds. Still, I think that's okay for me..." Mite's prize for being my eleventh reviewer on my Hetalia fic "Then I was Young and Unafraid". COMPLETE.


**_The Pursuit of a Perfect World_**

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Naruto musing on Jiraiya's death, thinking something like: "I'll miss him forever, and no one can replace him. Time can never heal all wounds. Still, I think that's okay for me..." with him being somewhat somber and sad, but also at the same time hoping that he can change the future for better and end all the bloodshed, so that no one will have to feel like this.

~xXx~

Putting together Jiraiya's memorial was just as soothing to the ache in his chest as it was aggravating. Laying down his old teacher's first novel next to Konan's bouquet of "never-dying flowers of hope"; Naruto fell back on his butt. Staring with a slight smile at his work, he curled an arm loosely around his knees and plopped his cheek atop them. Finger reaching out, he caressed one of the white flowers and thought wistfully of days past.

Jiraiya might have been an annoying pervert, but he'd also been a great teacher with a good heart. He taught Naruto so much and now...he swiped a hand over his eyes and laughed.

"Sorry pervy sage," he muttered. "Sorry I couldn't do anything for you in the end..." and Naruto knew it was ridiculous to be apologetic about something he had no control over, yet-how could he not? His mentor was dead. Thinking over the past days, he was reminded of something someone told him:

"Time heals all wounds."

Naruto snorted. It was a lie, he was sure. This little memorial could become overrun with grass, covered in leaves and marred by dirt and rain until it was just a relic of a time past; but, his heart would never _ever _be healed over in a similar manner. It would always be a raw ache just beneath the surface. Something to draw from, a reminder to why he'd called Jiraiya one of his important people.

His death would not be in vain. Naruto would make sure his murderer paid.

"Jiraiya-sensei.." he whimpered. "I miss you! Why'd you have to die? Why why whywhywhy-" The blond eventually lost himself to his own litany and it was once his face felt too hot and his eyes too squinted to support anymore tears was he silent a second time. Devoid of all but a numbness that nothing could ever fill again. There would be no second pervy-sage. Jiraiya-sensei. He was one of a kind and Naruto would never have another like him in his life.

Pondering over the man's existance, the blond began to think about which goals his mentor had and which he hadn't fulfilled. There were many things he'd accomplished, yet...Naruto was struck dumb when he thought of the man's greatest want. Peace. But peace would only come with the end of hate. Crushed that Jiraiya would not see the end of hate and never walk a peaceful world, the blond came to a conclusion.

Naruto would make it his mission, he would make it his mission to spread love and peace and to soothe hurt so hate could not rise up and out of the festering wounds of children's and not children's hearts. It would be his greatest mission, even greater than his endeavor to be Hokage. A wind rustling through the small patch, the bouquet flapped in the wind and Naruto's eyes were filled with their pure white.

"Flowers of never-ending hope..." He whispered. "Never-ending hope." That's what he needed. He need hope like that. The blond had to _be_ a well of never-ending hope for all of those who weren't capable of housing it inside themselves. He had to have hope and he had to spread that hope along with love so no one would ever have to feel as he did now. With hope and love, Naruto believed he could change the world.

No one would have to lose an important person so violently ever again.

Determined, the shinobi put himself right on his feet and turned away from the memorial. He could miss Jiraiya, but he couldn't mope around here anymore. His village, his land, his _world_ needed him up and fighting for the cause his mentor and so many others fought and died for.

A perfect world of peace.

(Where children explored and played without fear, friendship and love bloomed between every soul and ninja were nothing more than peacekeepers).

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**This is just a brief insight into Naruto's thoughts after he finishes putting together Jiraiya's memorial after the guy's death. The prompt was give to me by Mite, the eleventh reviewer of my Hetalia fic _And Then I was Young and Unafraid_.**

**This is your prize one-shot Mite, I hope you liked it!  
**

**Thank you everyone for reading and pretty please review.**

**P.S. If you could check out the poll on my page, that'd be awesome!**


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